The present invention relates to a flat collector to collect solar energy, with a carrier which holds a collector plate, a heat carrier channel system and a protective disk (pane).
Flat collectors are used to collect solar energy and for storage in a heat carrier medium, ordinarily water. The temperatures reached there are adequate for home heating and pool heating, or for providing hot water.
With the continued consumption of energy reserves, such as crude oil, the use of solar energy collectors has become more urgent; the various technologies attempt to develop rational arrangements for large-scale use.
The general aim is to porduce collectors of long life and reliability and minimum purchase price, and minimum assembly, operating and maintenance costs. Presently known collectors meet only some of these requirements, but not all of them.
Presently known collectors with metal carriers are difficult to manufacture and final assembly is difficult. They essentially consist of a metal housing open on top and lined with heat-insulating material. This housing encloses the channel system, the collector plate and a protective disk and they are fastened by crimping the housing walls or screw-fastened metal or plastic strips. The lining with thermal insulator and the crimping or screw-fastening are time-consuming steps in manufacture.
There are also known collectors with a carrier housing of synthetic material which have a relatively short life and high material costs.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a flat collector of the foregoing species which can be produced by moderately-priced mass production methods and nevertheless has a long life and reliability.
ANOTHER OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS TO PROVIDE A SOLAR COLLECTOR OF THE FOREGOING CHARACTER WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY SIMPLE IN CONSTRUCTION AND MAY BE ECONOMICALLY FABRICATED.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a solar collector arrangement, as described, which may be easily maintained in service.